A Dayak Shield

The war shields of the many Dayaks of Kalimantan can generally be distinguished into two main types. The “Klebit bok” and the “Kliau” shield. The “Klebit bok” is associated with the Kayan and Kenyan people who live in the northern and central regions of Kalimantan and is hexagonal in shape with a protruding medial ridge in the center. Shields are often decorated with painted Aso designs and adorned with tufts of human hair. These decorations are intended to intimidate the opponent, but also to provide additional power within the shield. “Kliau” is attributed to the Iban people who live in West Kalimantan, Sarawak and Brunei. It is similar to the “Klebit bok”, hexagonal in shape with a central ridge and often decorated with “Aso” motifs and reinforced with strips of bamboo to prevent the shield from breaking under enemy sword blows. In all Dayak cultures, shields may be used in a ceremonial function to decorate longhouses while others are simple and designed for warfare, including ruthless "mamat" headhunting campaigns. Among the Dayak, we can also see some other types of shields, entirely made of rattan.

Our example: A beautiful and real “Kliau” shield from the Iban Dayak. Made from a single piece of light wood (Parishia) with carved handle. The top and bottom are reinforced with bamboo strips bound in rattan. The sides are decorated with charcoal. The shield shows signs of actual use and was most likely cracked upon contact. Ancient iron repairs show the spiritual function of these shields which were often repaired after battles and hung in the longhouses where the community lived.

Good condition, cracked with use with old repairs